Foot-supporter.



No. 865336. PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907.

F. F. WBDEKIND.

roo'r SUPPORTBR'L urmoumn FILED b11040, 100a.

WITNESSES kW/M60 A TTOH-NE YS FRANK FREDERICK WEDEKIND, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FOOT-SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filed December 20, 1906. Serial No. 348,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK FREDERICK WEDEKIND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Foot- Supporter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I i

The purpose of the invention is to provide a form or shape for what is known as flat feet, which will be simple durable light and perfectly shaped to the foot, being adapted to be worn in the shoe; and a further purpose of the invention is to provide a form or support of the character described that will maintain its shape and which will fit up well around the heel and sides of the foot, extending to the ball thereof, the device extending higher up at the inner instep section than at any other point so as to provide the most support thcreat.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide the support'orform with means whereby to prevent its rocking, and tending to always hold the device in required position.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. I v Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the same; and

Fig. 5 is'an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the device, illustrating the manner in which itis constructed.

As stated, the device is particularly adapted to hold up the arch or instep of the foot wherein the arch is broken down or defective, and said device is made up of one or more layers 10 of cotton stockinette, usually two layers that are drawn overa cast-of the foot; and

said layers of stockinette are provided with asufficient number of layers 11 of dissolved celluloid to penetrate the stockinette and effectively fill up all the interstices therein. A thickness of material of about one-eighth to five-thirtyseconds of an inch have been found effective; but I do not confine myself to any specific amount of material or thickness of the form or supporter.

Before the form or supporter A is completed, steel" strips, usually two in number and designated as 12 and 13, are introduced longitudinally-between the layers of stockinette, as is best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The 1 form or supporter A thus constructed and shaped comprises a heel section 14, an instep section 15 and a ball section 16, together with a marginal flange 17 that extends continuously along all of the sections with the exception of the forward end of the ball section 16; and the flange 17 at the inrier side of the instep section 15 of the form or supporteris carried much higher up thanthe remaining portion of the flange as is shown at 18 in Figs. 1 and 4, so as to give a maximum of sup-' port to the small bones of the instep.

The spring strips 12 and 13 serve to maintain the shape of the supporter at its instep portion, and to hold up the defective portion of the foot. In placing the spring strips, the strip 12 extends longitudinally at or about the lower central portion of the supporter, while the'strip 13 extends longitudinally along that portion of the supporter Where the inner flange connects with the instep portion of the body or bottom part of the supporter as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Preferably one foot being located at the heel section preferably between the rear face of the strips 12 and 13, while the other foot is located at the ball section between the forward ends of said strips 12 and 13. The bottom faces of the feet are flat, and the object of these feet is to prevent the supporter from rocking while in use, serving thus .to hold it in steady position, and preventing any particular parts from chafing the feet. Supporters of this type quickly become foul, and none of those of which I have knowledge can be cleanly washed. My improvement renders these devices perfectly sanitary, since they can be quickly washed and rendered absolutely clean.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A foot supporter, comprising a flanged body formed of stockinet and celluloid and shaped to the heel, instep and ball of the foot, the flange extending from the forward end of the ball portion around the heel portion.

2. A foot supporter, comprising a flanged body formed of layers of stockinet and celluloid between the layers and on the outer faces thereof, the body being shaped to the heel, instep and ball of the foot and the flange extending from the forWardend of the ball portion around the heel. t

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a foot supporter consisting of stockinet saturated with dissolved celluloid and shaped to the bottom and'side portions of the heel, instep and bottom of the foot, and strips extendin; longitudinally of the said supporter at its instep por- ,l'ion, which strips are incurporated in the said structure.

4. As animproved article of manufacture. a foot supporter construrted of layers of stockinet saturated with dissolved celluloid and shaped to the heel, the instep and ball sections of the foot and to the sides of said sections. strips longitudinally located at the instep portion of the struvture. being held between the layers constitut- 'ing the same. and means at the bottom portion of the 10 supporter to prevent said supporter from rocking.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK FREDERICK \VEDEKIND.

Witnesses R. H. NOBLE, THos. JOHNSTONE. 

